This invention is directed to moisturizing compositions for application to human skin which contain certain organosilicon compounds, more particularly oxyethylene functional organosilanes. When used in skin care applications, these compounds exhibit humectant properties.
Effective moisturizing amounts to the treatment of skin so that it can retain and absorb moisture. Typically, emollients such as oils and oleaginous materials, are applied to the skin for the purpose of forming an occlusive film on the skin, and hence emollients are known to relieve skin dryness by retarding the evaporation of moisture from the skin.
Humectants on the other hand, are capable of introducing moisture to the skin from the atmosphere in conditions of moderate or high humidity, and are capable of holding moisture in the skin, in order to maintain normal softness and pliability of the skin.
Organosilicon compounds containing oxyalkylene units are generally regarded as being useful for providing water solubility, surfactancy, and foaming, characteristics. Quite unexpectedly therefore, it has been discovered that certain oxyethylene functional organosilane compounds exhibit humectancy rather than occlusivity, and that these compounds provide humectant properties when applied to the skin.
Accordingly, these oxyethylene functional organosilane compounds can be utilized in a novel approach to skin moisturization, by including them as the skin conditioning agent in various skin care applications, including clear facial cleanser solutions, oil-in-water emulsion moisturizers, and aqueous skin care gels. Moisturization is optimized through the use of these compounds as an ingredient in various skin care formulations and in certain well defined proportions along with other combinations of ingredients.